at dusk
by proserandom
Summary: you make the days brighter. -Uncle!Itachi & Sarada Non-massacre AU


**Title:** at dusk  
><strong>Summary:<strong> you make the days brighter  
><strong>Characters:<strong> Sarada, Uncle!Itachi; slight Sasuke, Sakura and sasusaku

**note:** This happened because of all the Uncle Itachi-Sarada AU.  
><strong>note 2:<strong> Also, there are not enough Uncle Itachi-Sarada fic in the fandom. Why is this? What's with this travesty?

**dedication:** again, for **sakura-unnie **on Tumblr because she gave me all these feels.

* * *

><p>(6)<p>

There is a familiar pattering of bare feet across the upstairs floor boards. They are hurried and excited and if Sakura didn't know any better she'd think it was someone else. Usually the footsteps are light and soundless, an imitation of much quieter and experienced ones.

Today is a special day it seems. Something must be happening.

Sarada came thudding down the stairs two steps at a time. When she reached the third to the last step, she promptly jumps and lands lightly on her feet before practically flying over to the threshold.

Sakura pokes her head from the kitchen and watches as her daughter hurriedly puts on her boots. "Where are you going at such an early hour?" she asks as she approaches, her arms crossed over her apron.

It's a Sunday and Sakura doesn't work at the hospital on Sundays and fancies herself to play the good housewife. Sarada knows this and doesn't usually leave the house on these days.

The six years old looks up to her mother, one of her boots already fastened and halfway through fastening the other.

"Uncle Itachi's coming home today from his mission. I'm gonna greet him at the village gates."

"Honey, your uncle isn't due to return until next week."

"Nuh-uh." Sarada shakes her head and short raven locks swish side to side. "He sent Kumiko yesterday. She said he's gonna be home today."

"Kumiko?"

Sarada looks at her mother with slight impatience as if she's supposed to know who Kumiko is.

"One of Uncle Itachi's crows, mama."

Sakura just chuckles as her daughter gets back to putting her boots. She gets back to the kitchen and when she emerges, she's got a small bento and she hands it to her little girl just as Sarada was about to exit the house.

"Here. I'm sure your Uncle will be hungry."

Sarada beams up at her, black eyes so similar to another love one shining in delight.

"Thanks, mama!"

Just as the front door closed, Sasuke came down stifling a yawn.

"Where's your daughter going this early?"

"_Our _daughter, Sasuke-kun." Sakura corrects him as she kisses his cheek. "She said a crow told her your brother's coming home early."

Sasuke just rolls his eyes and follows her in the kitchen.

"She's so much like you when it comes to Itachi."

"Tch. I was never that excited to see aniki ever." He grumbles over a mug of coffee.

Sakura just smiles as she put a plate of pancakes in front of him. "Of course you aren't, dear."

.

.

.

.

.

(7)

When Sarada turned seven she asks her Papa why Uncle Itachi always pokes him on the forehead.

"Is it because your forehead is too wide like Mama's? But it's not so why does Uncle Itachi poke it?"

Sasuke chuckles at her as he picks her up from where she sits in their living room with her books. "Don't let Mama hear you say that."

"Why?"

"Just don't."

He takes her to the kitchen and places a plate of onigiri in front of her and Sarada agrees and says she won't.

Later when her parents left for work and she was with her Uncle Itachi, she asks him the same question.

"Why do you poke Papa's forehead?"

Itachi pauses at finishing his third stick of dango to look at the child. When he doesn't answer, Sarada continues.

"Papa says it's just your thing."

Itachi's eyebrow rose, "My thing?"

But Sarada doesn't seem to hear him and ploughs on through a mouthful of dango, "But I don't think it's just because it's your thing."

"Oh? And why do you think I do, Sara-chan?"

Sarada shrugs as she nibbles on her last dango. "I think you do it to annoy Papa. Just like how Uncle Naru makes him go eat ramen with him on 'Hokage's orders' and Kaka-oji arrives an hour late for everything."

The Uchiha heir looks at the girl before him not in slight amusement. He always knew, aside from the obvious, that there is a reason why he adores his niece so much.

"You're right, Sara-chan. I do it to annoy your Papa. Your Papa's always so much more amusing when he's annoyed."

The child looks up at him in slight confusion before letting out a string of giggles. Itachi isn't quite sure what she found particularly humorous but he smiles at her nonetheless.

"Uncle Itachi you're funny."

.

.

.

.

.

(8)

Sasuke had barely stepped foot in the threshold when Sarada came barrelling towards him. His hands darts to the side catching her by the waist and hoisting her up in his arms prompting a squeal from the eight year old. He kisses her cheek and nuzzles his nose on her neck causing her to erupt in a fit of giggles.

"Welcome home, Papa!" Sarada kisses her father's cheek and wraps her arms around his neck.

"Aa. Tadaima." He looks at her with an uncontrollable upturn of his lip. "Where are you heading at such a rush?"

Sarada's eyes widens as if she remembers she has to be somewhere important. She starts to wiggle out of her father's arms.

"Put me down now, Papa! I'm going to meet Uncle Itachi! He said he's gonna treat me to dango today!"

Sasuke frowns. But he just got home. "Don't you want to spend time with your Papa?"

Sarada abruptly stops wiggling her way out of her father's hold as she stares at him with confusion. "Silly Papa." She says poking her father on the forehead in an all too familiar gesture.

Sasuke doesn't know whether to laugh or frown but he sure as hell was surprised.

"I'm only going out for dango." She says with a small smile this time as if she understands what her Papa really means.

"You're going to spoil your appetite."

Her head tilts to the side with her eyebrows drawn and a pout on her mouth. Sasuke nearly melts at the adorableness of the child.

"Nuh-uh!" She says shaking her head vehemently side to side. "It's still too early, Papa! Besides, Mama already let me."

"Did she now?"

"Uhuh!"

Sasuke sighs. Clearly his daughter wouldn't let this one go, best to just let her off now lest she throws a tantrum like the last time he didn't allow her to see her uncle.

He sets her down on the floor gently and pats her head. "Make sure you're home before dinner."

"Yes, Papa!"

When Sarada rounded the corner and was out of sight, Sasuke makes his way to the living room where he found his wife reading one of her medical tomes. She wordlessly shifts to give him space and Sasuke plops down unceremoniously beside her.

"That girl is spending too much time with aniki."

Sasuke grumbls and Sakura just smiles because they've already had this conversation before and it always ends the same.

"And that is a bad thing because?"

"It's not healthy."

Sakura doesn't even need to look at him to know he's pouting. Sasuke could be such a child when it comes with Sarada. She flips a page of her book and scribbles something on the margins.

"Pray tell, love, how so?"

There is silence then as Sasuke ponders on reasons to back his claims. A few minutes passes before Sasuke slumps further in the love seat and huffs, "It just isn't."

Sakura closes the tome she's been reading and puts it aside. She stares at him through her reading glasses, green eyes shining with mirth and a smirk on her lips.

"Would you rather your daughter hang out with his other uncles and eat sodium laden food, play pranks and have a speech pattern tick instead?"

"Tch. She already has yours."

"You're just mad your daughter didn't inherit your limited vocabulary and it's a good thing too. Whole words and sentences are much better than just grunting or humming."

Sasuke shoots her an offended look before laying his head on her lap in defeat. Sakura just smiles and strokes his hair.

.

.

.

.

.

(9)

On his off days or whenever he's in the village, Itachi likes to pick up Sarada from school.

He greets her with an easy smile as soon as he sees her and Sarada waves at him as she walks over to him.

Their greeting always goes like this:

"There's my favourite niece."

"Uncle Itachi I'm your only niece."

"And that's why you're my favourite."

Sarada pouts up at him, looking exactly like Sasuke did when he was her age but with a hint of her mother's features.

Itachi ruffles her hair and chuckles as she squeaks in annoyance. He takes her hand in his and they walk down the path of the Academy to the gates with Sarada fixing her hair with one hand and grumbling grumpily.

(So much like her father—)

Academy students pass them by, some of them waving and smiling at Sarada, almost all of them do not have an adult company but instead are in groups.

Sarada lets go of his hand and walks a little farther distancing herself a bit from him. Itachi notices the way Sarada looks at the groups of Academy students—her classmates and friends—almost with a look of longing and something else.

"You don't have to pick me up from class, Uncle Itachi. I can take care of myself now."

Ah, so that's what it is.

"Can you now?" He asks his tone easy as he matches her steps.

She looks up at him with fire in her dark eyes. "Of course I can! I'm an Uchiha."

"Of course you are. And how old are you now again?"

Sarada doesn't believe for a second that her uncle has forgotten her age. He only about celebrates her birthday for a week, showering her with gifts and letting her do as she pleases. He's trying to make a point. Of what, she doesn't know.

"Nine and a half."

"I see. So, nine years old."

"No. I'm nine and a half."

Itachi smiles at the indignation on the child's tone.

"It doesn't matter. You're still only nine."

And he smiles as she puffs her cheeks out in annoyance.

"Did you know that your Papa almost got kidnapped when he was your age?" Sarada turns to look at him with a mixture of shock and intrigue. "He went home from school alone because he wanted to go home early to train. Of course it wasn't your Papa's fault alone. I was late to pick him up and he was impatient."

The look on his niece's face tells him she's already got it. Sarada is smart like that. She gets it from her mother more than their side of the family, he believes. It shows in the way she clenches her fists and bites her lip that it's more pride than anything that's keeping her from admitting her logic flaw. That trait came from their side of the family for sure.

"What happened?"

"I came before the bad ninjas could take your Papa. Your grandpa never found out."

"That would've been bad if Grandpa found out." She said as she subtly shifts closer to him, "or worst, if _Grandma_ found out."

"It would've."

They walk in silence then. Itachi knows Sarada is thinking things over. She's usually talkative no matter the topic of conversation.

"Okay, Uncle Itachi. I understand."

"You do?"

Sarada sighs in defeat and Itachi knows she really does.

"Yeah. I shouldn't go home alone. I get it. You could still pick me up at school I guess—at least until I graduate."

Itachi smiles and thanks whatever divine medical intervention of genes that was responsible for his niece's stubborn attitude yet logically sound reasoning.

"Besides, " Sarada takes hold of his hand again "I like getting dango after class."

(—and yet just like her mother.)

.

.

.

.

.

(10)

When Sarada was ten some of her Papa's friends that he met on his travels visited.

The one with the pretty red hair and shining red eyes (Auntie Karin, she told Sarada to call her) took one look at her, frowned before smirking as if she knew something Sarada didn't. She ducked her head and hid her face in her hair then because the glint in Auntie Karin's eyes then was manic and she had a feeling that something was about to go down and it will not end in her favour.

"I know what you're hiding, kid." She had told her when she approached Sarada on the back porch while her Papa and Auntie Karin's other companions talked. "You won't be able to hide it for long, you know?"

Once there was a book that her Uncle Sai gave her that said when you're intimidated by someone, whatever you do, you do not let them know.

So Sarada looked the red head straight in the eyes and said in her most confident voice, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Auntie Karin was silent then and a smirk was already starting to twitch its way on her face at her assured victory.

"Uhuh. That would've had more impact if you were actually looking at me, kid. Seriously, I'm right here. Your eyes are a little bit far off left." Auntie Karin had laughed then but it wasn't mean. "How do you even manage to walk blind?"

And that was the story of how Sarada got her glasses.

"Oh, I see." Itachi says. He was slightly surprised to be home and find a pair of spectacles perched on his too young to need them niece. Uchiha generally never wear anything to help their sight until they are well into senility.

"Does it look weird?" Sarada fidgets beside him as they sit in the back porch. Clearly she realizes how odd it is that a member of their clan is wearing something to help with their sight.

Itachi thinks over this and carefully he says, "Not weird, just…ironic."

"I know." She bows her head down as if in shame and Itachi already has an inkling of what has transpired while he was away. "Some of the clan members said it's because I'm not" she pauses, looks away "I'm not a full Uchiha. Said that mama is bad blood and polluted the gene pool."

This he was not surprised. Itachi has to close his eyes on this as he tries to reign in on his temper. Of course they will say that, of course.

The Uchiha clan, despite moving on to a new era of openness and acceptance, still maintains some rather conservative values and traditions. Itachi looks down at his niece, another innocent child victimized of the backwardness of the Uchiha.

"But mama and Tsunade-baa-chan ran some tests and they said that…!"

"They said what, Sara-chan?" Itachi puts a hand at the small of her back to try and calm her.

Sarada looks away mumbling, "They said that it was because something went wrong with my Sharingan."

So Sarada has activated her Sharingan in the time he was gone and apparently something went wrong. He hates how he already has a theory on what happened. The Sharingan can only be activated is the wielder feels extreme danger after all.

Something must be showing on his face because Sarada immediately launches in an explanation.

"It's nothing serious, Uncle! I was training and I was startled by…" with the way she trails Itachi already knows what exactly it was. "But Papa took care of them! Don't worry! I'm alright, see?"

He merely hums as he makes a mental note to talk to his brother and the Hokage later.

"Mama and Tsunade-baa-chan said that it was awakened prematurely so my eyesight was affected. I had a hard time controlling it and in the first few days I can't even turn it off." She tells him a little dazed. "And when I did finally managed to turn it off, I can barely see. It was Auntie Karin who found out about my eyesight. I got scolded by mama because I kept it from everyone."

Itachi quirks an eyebrow at the notion that she had tried to function nearly blind before someone finally discovered.

"I'm wearing glasses to help with that for now. Mama said it's only until I can properly control the Sharingan. That way I can still see clearly even without it."

"I see." So it's like a preventive cover to keep her from overusing it and quickening the side effects, a similar situation to Kakashi's.

"Papa said I got my Sharingan earlier than he did. He said he was proud of me and he'll help me train so I can get rid of my glasses quick. Grandpa treated me to ice cream."

"But of course." Itachi says patting her head. "You shouldn't worry too much. Your glasses look fine. I'm proud of you, Sara-chan."

"I know you are, Uncle Itachi. I'm proud of me too."

Itachi pokes her forehead the same way he does to her father and Sarada laughs.

.

.

.

.

.

(11)

Once when Sarada came to her Uncle Naruto's house to play with Himawari-chan, the little girl told her that out of all her uncles, her favourite is Uncle Neji.

"I like him even if he always teases Papa" the little girl had said while Sarada brushed her hair "he's funny and he always brings us candy and tells me and Bolt-nii stories of Papa and Mama. But shhh! Don't tell anyone m'kay?"

She absent mindedly corrected the younger girl of her grammar ("_I_ not _me_, Hima-chan") but the younger girl's words struck something in her.

Sarada had never once thought of who her favourite (because her Mama had said it's not good to play favorites) but she suppose, now that she thought about it and the thought had stuck to her, she couldn't help but rank them on partiality.

"Eeeehh. That's not fair Sara-chan!" Her Uncle Shisui whines. "Why am I in fifth place?"

"Because you ate the last candied tomato."

"But that was Halloween two years ago!"

Sarada just shrugs and Itachi looks at her in amusement as she slowly chews on her dango.

"How come the Hokage ranks higher than me? He's Bolt's dad and you hate that kid."

"Just because I ha—" she stops thinking that 'hate' is such a strong word. She tries again, "Just because I'm not entirely fond of Bolt doesn't mean it extends to Uncle Naruto. Besides, he always treats me to ramen."

Itachi chuckles at that. "Don't let your Papa hear that. He might think you're only ever eating ramen."

Shisui looks at them and Itachi frowns when he saw his eyes glint in a way that says he is up to stir trouble.

"Then," the master of Shunshin started "who do you like best, Sara-chan? Your Papa or Uncle Itachi?"

"Papa of course." Sarada answers without missing a beat.

There was silence then and it feels as if the whole garden quieted down in tune with Sarada's words adding impact.

"Tsss. Oooh." Shisui teases "Tough luck, 'tachi."

Itachi just sips his tea and says nothing.

Before long Shisui is summoned by one of the Hokage's ANBU and had to go. He looks over his shoulder at the two remaining people seating in the garden chairs and tosses them a grin looking thoroughly unrepentant at the muted chaos he has caused.

Itachi ignores him and shows he is not affected. There is nothing to be after all.

So he bows his head and continues to sip his tea.

"Silly Uncle Itachi." Sarada says and her words made Itachi raise his head in her direction in time for the tips of her fingers to softly tap his forehead. "You're my favourite uncle."

And at this Itachi smiles because of course he outranks the Hokage. Of course. There was never a doubt about that to begin with.

"But Papa's still my number one because…well…he's Papa."

Despite not coming on top, Itachi is proud to say it was only because of technicalities. And anyway, he has never had any desire of taking over his little brother's place in his daughter's heart. Shisui was just being foolish and troublesome as always.

"That's okay, Sara-chan. That's the way it should be."

As long as he outranks the Hokage.

.

.

.

.

.

(12)

"Boys are stupid."

Sarada says as she plops down in front of his study desk in that way her father always scowls at whenever he catches her.

Itachi does so as well out of instinct and years of good manners and proper posture drilled into him. Usually this makes her snap up to seat properly but today it seems his niece is very much preoccupied by other matters to bother in correcting her posture.

So Itachi hums instead to regard the girl.

"They're annoying." Sarada huffs and scowls at something at the side of the room.

At this Itachi stops signing clan documents (that are very dull and if he were to have his way he would've burned them to a crisp the minute it landed on his desk) and looks up at her.

For some reason there is something tremendously nostalgic about this conversation—a different time, a different place, a different person but the same subject.

"Are we talking about someone specific here, Sara-chan?" He asks tentatively although he already has an inkling as to who and is not quite sure how to make of it.

Sarada huffs yet again and glares at nothing in particular, dark eyes looking sharper under her red rimmed glasses.

"That idiot Bolt."

She spat the name as if it's some kind of poison but there is something in her tone that sounds vaguely confused and frustrated.

"Oh?"

Itachi quirks a brow. Something tells him he knows what she will say next because he's already had this very same conversation and he already knows where this is headed.

"He's so" Sarada frowns and scrunches her nose in that way she does when she is extremely displeased "...annoying."

And Itachi remembers a time long ago, of a boy calling a girl 'annoying' and then ending up falling madly and deeply in love with her and marrying her and having a family and living happily ever after.

The Uchiha clan head picks up his brush and continues on with his work. He bows his head to hide the smile forming on his lips

"Shouldn't you be telling this to your mother instead of me?"

Surely her mother will know more about matters like this than him. Sarada is better off pouring her frustrations out to someone who will understand and will know what to say. And surely Sakura will appreciate the irony and the humour of the whole thing.

At his words Sarada pouts. "I did. She just smiled and said don't tell it to Papa or even let him hear me say it. She says he's gonna blow a gasket." She shrugs and this time Itachi finds it hard to hide his smile as he nods his agreement.

"Your mother is a very wise woman, Sara-chan. It will do you well to listen to her."

"Of course. Mama's the best."

Itachi decides that the clan documents will not be any less dull or tedious if he keeps on signing them and it wouldn't matter because more will just be coming later on.

So he finishes the one that is currently in his hands with a flourish, rolls the parchment carefully before setting them all aside along with his brush and ink to focus his full attention instead to the still scowling girl in front of him. No doubt listening to what could only be the probable cause of Sasuke's heart failure in the future is much more interesting rather than reading another ridiculous proposal document from the clan.

"So, tell me more about why Bolt-kun is annoying."

.

.

.

.

.

(13)

One afternoon, when they were having dango over tea, Sarada asks why itachi is still not married.

Itachi doesn't show surprise, merely sips his tea ever calmly before setting the cup beside him.

"You listened in on the clan meeting last night. What have we told you about doing so?" He admonishes gently, "You'll be a part of it in time. You shouldn't make haste to join in on such."

Sarada looks away embarrassed, presumably from getting caught, and mumbles, "I was just passing by."

Itachi chuckles because the place where the clan holds their weekly meeting isn't somewhere that people could just pass by. He wonders what the child finds so intriguing about them and thinks that she'll be severely disappointed once she is old enough to be incorporated in them. If she is anything like her father, and Itachi knows for a fact that she is very much, she will find them terribly dumb and petty and a waste of time in general. But he suppose it's part of being a child to be so curious.

"I am simply not interested in a shared life with another, Sara-chan."

"Don't you get lonely? Don't you want someone to take care of you?"

"I am more than capable of taking care of myself, Sara-chan."

"Yeah, but" Sarada frowns at her uncle's words thinking he must've misinterpreted what she means judging by the tone of his voice. "I know that, Uncle but I mean when you're tired or you're hurt or when you're sick."

Itachi smiles and takes another sip of his tea. "Well, your mama is a great medic isn't she? And I have you don't I?"

The frown on her face doesn't let up and she tries to find the proper words to convey what she really means.

"Don't you like—" Sarada stops and purses her lips "someone like mama to welcome you home and cook you dinner after a long day of work?"

There is emphasis on the part where she refers to someone like her mother and Itachi already knows what she means before she even finishes.

"Uncle Shisui said you used to be engaged to a distant cousin but then you called it off."

"I have to say I am not particularly interested," he answers as he calmly sips his tea. "She wouldn't have been happy with me had we pushed through with the arrangement. You have to know that marriage isn't the key to happiness or is it for everyone." He continues to sip his tea as he feels her eyes on him. "I know what you mean to say, Sara-chan and no, I am not romantically interested to the same gender. Do not listen to your Uncle Shisui. He is an idiot."

Sarada shrugs as if already anticipating his answer. "I know. I thought as much. You don't seem like the type. I actually think you're asexual, Uncle Itachi."

At this Itachi almost chokes on his tea.

"What."

"I mean androgynous." Sometimes she forgets that her Uncle Itachi tends to understand the more complicated words better than the commonly used ones.

"I know what asexual means, Sara-chan. Where did you learn that word?"

"I'm thirteen, Uncle Itachi. I know things." Itachi raises a brow and feels slightly intrigued (and a little bit disturbed) as to what his niece might know. Imagine Sasuke's reaction if he hears this. "And I read them from mama's books."

"I see."

"I think it's stupid though." Sarada continues overlooking the fact that her uncle neither denied nor acknowledge her theory on his sexuality.

"What is?"

"The clan forcing you to get married. If you don't want to they should just let you be."

Itachi's smile is rueful and the melancholy in his eyes sort of breaks something inside Sarada.

"It's not that easy, Sara-chan."

"I know," she whispers as she stares down at her lap. She couldn't bear to look at her uncle's sadness anymore. "Mama and Papa already explained it to me."

Of the Clan Head family's duty. Of the need to have a next heir. Of how it is the duty of the Clan Head to produce an heir that will succeed him. Sarada knows of the pressures the Clan Head is under and the burden he bears. She hates herself a little bit for being selfish and being glad her Papa is not the Clan Head.

"I see."

"But Uncle Itachi," she looks up at him abruptly and Itachi startles at the earnestness in her eyes "you shouldn't force yourself into anything if you don't want to. I will be the Clan Head when I grow up. You don't have to worry about it. I'll take care of everyone."

There is strong conviction shining in her eyes that Itachi has seen before. Itachi could feel her determination, the blood of the two most stubborn people he knows coursing through her veins and the Will of Fire burning strongly within her.

And Itachi smiles because he believes in her and because he is so, so proud.

"Okay, Sara-chan. Thank you."

.

.

.

.

.

(14)

When Sarada makes it to the finals of her first Chuunin exam, Itachi is on his way to a mission.

He is thankful that the Chuunin exams this year is held at Konoha and makes a detour to the exam arena. Sarada had said her match is the third for the day and if all went on schedule, she should be up now. He situates himself near the top of the Kage box and looks down at the concluding match.

The examiner is raising the right hand of what Itachi knows is the Hokage's son. He was up against a Kiri genin of who is currently being carted away by the medics. The Hokage is shouting his joy over at the Kage box and announcing to the whole arena 'That's my boy!' not caring for his image nor the implications of his actions. Then again, Itachi thinks, Naruto never did.

A light tap on his right alerted him of another presence and he turns to see his sister-in-law lightly landing beside him.

"Hey, Itachi. Come to watch Sara-chan fight?"

"Sakura," he wonders why she isn't in the stands "why are you not inside?"

She just shrugs crossing her arm over her chest. "I just came in from the hospital. I was going to seat in the stands but then I thought you might want some company."

"I see, thank you. Mother and Father are in the stands I presume?"

Sakura tells him where they are seated at. Sasuke is appointed as one of the Hokage's guards and is stationed at the box where all the Kages are.

Itachi crosses his arms over his chest and tries his best not to tense when he heard Sarada's name called by the examiner. To the untrained eye, Itachi looks as calm as ever but he knows that he isn't fooling his sister-in-law when she turns to him with an amused smirk nearly identical to his little brother (dear, Kami-sama) and her green eyes shining in mischief.

"That's my girl, Itachi." Sakura says as she turns her eyes back down at the match. "And she is going to kick ass."

Itachi knows this but it doesn't help calm his nerves any more when he saw who she was up against. He wonders how Sasuke is faring at the Kage box.

Sarada is to fight a Kumo genin twice her size and a year older than her. The examiner pits them against each other and promptly starts the fight.

Itachi leaves quietly before the match could start and hurries towards the main gates to meet his team for the mission. He mentally makes a list of the places he could stop by to buy the perfect congratulatory gift.

When he returns a week later, Sarada is at the village gates waiting for him with a smile and her brand new green flak Chuunin vest on.

"So I made Chuunin." She tells him as they sat at her favourite tea shop in downtown Konoha.

Itachi smiles, "I could see that."

"Did you know that Mama made Chuunin when she was fourteen too?"

"Yes, I was at their team celebratory dinner."

Sarad hums and takes a bite off her dango. It was quiet for a time and then she proceeds to telling him of what has happened in the village in the time he was gone just like she always does. She doesn't talk about the Chuunin exams until Itachi asks.

"How was your fight, Sara-chan?"

"It was fine. I won," is all she says as she sips her tea and nothing more.

Itachi smiles at her and reaches for his pack for something. When he's found it, he slides it over to her.

Sarada takes the new leather gloves her uncle has given her and looks at it in awe.

"Just like Mama's." She whispers, something like reverence in her voice.

"Congratulations, Sara-chan."

She hugs him tightly and says her thanks. Itachi chuckles as he watches her put on her new gloves. She opens and closes her hands as if testing the material before folding them in her lap and growing silent yet again. Something was troubling her and Itachi was inclined to ask.

"Sara-chan? What's wrong—"

"Uncle Itachi, next time," she starts as she worries her lower lip "on my Jounin exams, maybe you could" she swallows then and looks up at him hopeful "maybe you could watch me then?"

At the back of his mind, an image of a boy with the same hopeful expression and the same plea resurfaces. The look he gave him when he didn't come through was one that Itachi will never forget. He wonders if it would be different if he manages to keep his promise this time.

"Okay, Sara-chan."

Itachi pokes her head and chuckles lightly at the startled look on her face.

"Next time."

.

.

.

.

.

(15)

"Hey, Uncle Itachi whatcha got there?"

Sarada sits beside him in the back porch having just come home from training. She looks over at him and at his computer screen then to the scroll in his hands.

"Decoding cryptograms again? Cool."

Itachi has taken to resign from ANBU in favour of being part of Konoha's Cryptography Department. It isn't quite as stressful as being a shinobi in active duty and it keeps him entertained when he's had enough of being Clan Head.

And sometimes, Sarada comes by and helps him and it becomes twice as enjoyable.

The rest of the afternoon is spent in moderate silence decoding ciphers, with Sarada doing the easier ones and Itachi the more complex. When they finished, Sarada brings out the shogi board she got from Shikadai on her fifteenth birthday and claims the white pieces.

"Today I'm gonna beat you for sure."

"Of course you will, Sara-chan. That's only what you've been saying for the past twenty three times I've beaten you."

"I can't believe you're taking tabs, Uncle Itachi."

Sarada beats him in five moves and Itachi is momentarily stunned by his defeat that he could do nothing but stare at her smug smirk.

"I've been playing with Uncle Shikamaru and Shikadai a lot." Sarada says with a shrug as a way of explanation.

Itachi nods with a smile and says, "Congratulations, Sara-chan." He rearranges the shogi pieces for a new game—unspoken penalty to whoever loses the game. It is the first time in twenty four matches that Itachi is the one to do so.

While he is doing this, Sarada stands up and goes to the kitchen. She is back at the same time Itachi finished arranging the last piece holding a tray with a plate of dango and tea.

Sarda places it down beside the shogi board before moving the game aside. Itachi raises an eyebrow at this. Usually they would have at least three games.

"I thought we could have dango and tea now."

"Not sure if you can repeat your victory, Sara-chan?" Itachi teases as Sarada hands him his tea with a scoff and a roll of her eyes.

"You wish, Uncle Itachi. I can beat you anytime now."

Her uncle only hums and smiles as he takes a sip of his tea.

Itachi doesn't ask much in life.

Admittedly there are circumstances in his life that, had he been given a choice, he would gladly change. One of them is being the Uchiha Clan Head and another is the shinobi profession. If he hadn't been born in a shinobi clan, and had been given the chance to choose another profession he would've chosen to live a civilian. Itachi is a pacifist and would much rather live a life void of clan and village politics and unnecessary violence.

But then he's learned to live with these burdens since he was a mere child and has long accepted that this is just how things are.

If there is something Itachi has learned it is that sometimes sacrifices and hardships are necessary in order to lead to greater things.

Because while there may be times where he may dislike the circumstances he is born with, there are also things that he would never—not even for the chance to relieved the Clan Head title and live a civilian life—want to change.

Like his loving mother and his not-so-foolish little brother and his incredible sister-in-law. Sarada and the life he is given the chance to be a part of, being able to teach her things and smile and laugh with her and watch her grow to be this promising bright kunoichi in a peaceful shinobi world. Afternoons spent decoding ciphers and playing shogi. Moments in between that he will never trade for anything in the world.

And this, having dango and tea in the late afternoon watching the sunset with one of his most precious people, this is all Itachi wants in life.

* * *

><p><strong>*7 –<strong> because Sarada knows the gesture is affectionate more than just to annoy

***12 –** proposal clan documents such as raising in the next clan head meetings to make the choosing of the Hokage into a voting one or requesting the Academy to put all the Uchiha clan children in a separate classroom from the other students, or making Tuesdays an exclusive Uchiha market day. All those silly autocratic shit.

***14 –** I didn't put a fighting scene because it will make it super long. Also, because it's not really my forte and I'm lazy. Use your imagination. Also, notice how there is not a 'maybe' before the "Next time"? It's because there is none. Itachi will be there to watch her become Jounin no matter what.

***15 –** cheesy ending and I didn't quite like it but eh. What can you do?

Also, Chapter 10 of _Strange Attractions _is on the works. Keep posted and hit me up on Tumblr!

Read and review, bitches. Those babies keep me going.

- Angeline


End file.
